Anthropomorphic test dummy torso

ABSTRACT

An anthropomorphic test dummy torso is provided with a spine mechanism extending from the pelvis upwardly to the chest. The spine mechanism comprises a plurality of vertically stacked pivot means mounted on a support platform located at the pelvis. The pivot means provide a pivot axis located at the waist line about which the torso is bendable in fore and aft directions, a vertical spinal axis about which the torso is twistable above its waist line, and an axis normal to the vertical spinal axis about which the torso is bendable sideways. An elastomeric isolation means above the stacked pivot means provides pelvis-to-chest shock and vibration isolation.

United States Patent [1 9 Daniel Aug. 21, 1973 ANTHROPOMORPHIC TESTDUMMY TORSO Primary Examiner-l-lar1and S. Skogquist Attorney-Keith L.Zerschling et a1.

[5 7] ABSTRACT An anthropomorphic test dummy torso is provided with aspine mechanism extending from the pelvis upwardly to the chest. Thespine mechanism comprises a plurality of vertically stacked pivot meansmounted on a support platform located at the pelvis. The pivot meansprovide a pivot axis located at the waist line about which the torso isbendable in fore and aft directions, a vertical spinal axis about whichthe torso is twistable above its waist line, and an axis normal to thevertical spinal axis about which the torso is bendable sideways. Anelastomeric isolation means above the stacked pivot means providespelvis-to-chest shock and vibration isolation.

5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures Patented Aug. 21, 1973 2 Sheets-Sheet '1Patented Aug. 21, 1973 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONDuring the crash testing of vehicles, anthropomorphic dummies areutilized in an attempt to forecast the survivability of human occupantsof the vehicle under similar conditions. Reference may be made to US.Pat. No. 3,557,471 issued Jan. 26, 1971 to P. R. Payne et al. for anexemplification of an anthropomorphic dummy. I

It has been found that during crash tests current dummy torsos whipforward without any semblance of muscular control-as would be exhibitedby a human body. It also is found that shock and vibration caused bymetal parts can be transmitted through the spine from pelvis to chest,possibly causing spurious chest deceleration readings in the gagesrelated to the dummy chest.

It is an object of the present invention to simulate human muscularcontrol by including in the dummy spine mechanism a visuclar muscular"control that is also effective to isolate the chest from the pelvis.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an anthropomorphictest dummy torso having a spine mechanism extending from the pelvisupwardly to the chest. The spine mechanism comprises a plurality ofpivot means vertically stacked one above the other, the stacked pivotmeans being mounted on.a support platform at the pelvis.

A first one of the pivot means provides a first pivot axis locatedrelative to the pelvis on a line corresponding generally to a torsowaist line about which the torso is bendable in fore and aft directions.This pivot means includes viscous damping means to inhibit fore and aftwhiplash movement of the torso about the waist line pivot axis. A secondone of the pivot means provides a vertical spinal axis about which thetorso is twistable above its waist line and a third one of the pivotmeans provides an axis normal to the vertical spinal axis about whichthe torso is bendable sideways.

An elastomeric isolation means above the-stacked pivot means providespelvis-to-chest shock and vibration isolation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Further features and advantages of thepresent invention will be made more apparent as this descriptionproceeds, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein: tFIG. 1 is a frontview of an anthropomorphic dummy with a portion of thecenter torso area surface removed in order to illustrate the environmentin which the present invention is utilized;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the dummy also with a portion removedfor clarity of illustration;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical section through the vertically stackedswivel units on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a section view of the line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the upper portion of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the upper portion of FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings,FIGS. 1 and-2 represent front and side views of an anthropomorphic dummyll of a type generally used vehicle crash testing. The present inventionis concerned with a spine mechanism, generally designated 12, extendingbetween the pelvis 13 and the chest structure 14. This spine mechanism12 structurally embodiesmany of the features of a neck swivelmechanismdisclosed in. I J.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 265,872 filedJune 27,1972

' in the names of Roger P. Daniel and Robert E. Resh for Crash DummyViscous Neck." The. present invention utilizes the'features of themechanism in a specific relationship to the pelvis and chest structuresof the dummy torso. I 1 l The spine mechanism 12 comprises a pluralityof pivot means or pivot units 15, I6 and 17 vertically stacked onsupport platform 18. Starting with the bottom unit 15, it comprises abracket 19 the base flanges 21 of which are adapted to be bolted orwelded to the support platform 18. This support platform as illustratedtakes the form of a plate positioned at the center of the pelvicstructure 22 of the dummy torso.

The bracket 19 has spaced upstanding legs 23. Each leg 23 has a squareaperture 24 at its upper end which receives the square end 25 of anonrotatable shaft 26. The shaft 26 is held in place by clamp screws 27,as best seen in FIG. 4.

A housing 28 having an elongated chamber 29 extending therethrough isswingably jo'urnalled on bearings 31 carried on shoulder portions 32 ofthe shaft 26. The housing 28 is shown as a two-piece structure having amain body portion 33 and a cap portion 34} bolted thereon by bolts 35.Suitable sealing rings 36 and 37 are strategically placed to make thechamber 29 leakproof.

The chamber 29 is filled with a viscous fluid. A braking or paddlemember 38 welded to the nonrotatable shaft 26 projects into the chamber29, see FIG. 4. The braking or paddle member 38 has a pair of spacedthreaded inserts 39 each having an aperture 41 extending from one end tothe other. The apertures Ml are calibrated orifices the size of whichmay be changed by changing the inserts. The function of the orifices isto regulate the flow of viscous fluid from one side to the other of thebraking or paddle member 38. This fluid flow occurs as the housingswings about the pivot shaft 26, as will be explained.

The intermediate pivot unit 116 comprises a rectangular plate 42 boltedto the top of the housing 28. The plate 42 has an upstanding circularboss 43 which is a pilot for a friction washer 44 and a plate 45. Theplate 45 is rectangular but has a circular recess 46 which fits over thefriction washer The plate 45 is held in rotary relationship to thehousing by a washer and bolt assembly 47.

Projecting upwardly from the plate 415 are a pair of spaced legs 48.Each leg 48 supports a pivot stud 49 which is threadedly engaged withthreaded apertures SI in spaced legs 52 depending from a plate 53. Theplate 53 is the base plate of the pivot unit 117.

Interposed between each contiguous pair of legs 48 and 52 is a frictionwasher 54. The pivot joint provided by the foregoing structure comprisesa controllable friction joint by which the resistance of swivelingmovement of the upper pivot unit 17 about the pivot studs 49 may becontrolled.

In addition to the plate 53, the upper pivot unit 17 comprises a plate55 separated from and bonded to the plate 53 by rubber isolationmaterial 56. The upper plate 55 is provided with bolt receiving holes 57to which the chest structure 14 of the dummy torso is bolted. Because ofthe isolation material 56, there is no metal to metal contact betweenthe pelvis structure and chest structure of the dummy.

The plurality of pivot units l5, l6 and 17 as correlated with the pelvisand chest structures of the dummy torso accommodate various bending andtwisting movements and combinations of such bending and twistingmovements. The pivot axis defined by the pivot shaft 26 is located on aline corresponding generally to a torso waist line about which the torsois bendable in fore and aft directions.

When a test vehicle is subjected to a barrier crash or head oncollision, for example, the test dummy upper torso is whipped voilentlyforward and backwards, especially since the dummy usually is belted intothe vehicle seat by a lap belt. As the pivot unit housing 28 swingsabout the shaft 26, the viscous fluid in the chamber 29 acts to dampenany whiplash effect on the upper torso of the dummy. The rate ofdeceleration is controlled by the flow of viscous fluid through theorifices 41 in the paddle member 38. It is thus possible to simulate toa greater degree of accuracy the reaction of the upper portion of thehuman torso as it bends at the waist under crash conditions.

There are, of course, other forces acting on the upper torso structureduring the deceleration resulting from a crash. There may be a forcecouple tending to twist the upper torso about the vertical spine axis.The intermediate pivot unit 16 provides for such twisting or rotarymovement about a vertical axis defined by the pivot stud 47. Theresistance to rotary movement about this vertical axis is controlled bythe friction washer 44 and also by the degree of torque that had beenapplied to the pivot stud 47 in tightening the intermediate pivot unitbase plate 45 to the plate 42 carried by the base pivot unit 15.

There may also be forces acting on the torso structure tending to tiltthe latter laterally or sideways. This is accommodated by the upperpivotunit 17 which is supported on the pivot studs 49 which define apivot axis that is normal to the vertical plane of the pivot axis of thestud 47. This pivot axis lies in a plane which is parallel to the planeof the axis defined by the shaft 26. Although in the at rest positionshown in the drawing the pivot axis defined by the studs 49 is normal tothe pivot axis defined by the shaft 26, it will be understood that thisrelationship may not be maintained as the intermediate swivel unitpermits the head structure to rotate above the vertical axis 47. Thepivot studs 49 provided a friction joint the resistance of which tolateral movement of the chest or upper torso structure may be controlledby the degree of tightness in the joint. That is, by tightening thebolts 49 the pressure on the friction disk 54 may be increased ordecreased thereby increasing or decreasing the frictional resistance ofthe pivot unit 17 to lateral movement of the chest or upper torsostructure 12.

It is to be understood that the invention is notlimited to the exactconstruction illustrated and described above, but that various changesand modifications may be made without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as defined by the following claims:

I claim:

1. An anthropomorphic test dummy torso having a spine mechanismextending from the pelvis upwardly to the chest,

the spine mechanism comprising a plurality of pivot means verticallystacked one above the other,

the stacked pivot means being mounted on a support platform at thepelvis,

a first one of the pivot means providing a first pivot axis locatedrelative to the pelvis on a line corresponding generally to a torsowaist line about which the torso is bendable in fore and aft directions,

the first one of the pivot means includes viscous damping means toinhibit fore and aft whiplash movement of the torso about the 'waistline pivot axis,

a second one of the pivot means providing a vertical spinal axis aboutwhich the torso is twistable above its waist line,

and a third one of the pivot means providing an axis normal to thevertical spinal axis about which the torso is bendable sideways,

and elastomeric isolation means above the stacked pivot means providingpelvis-to-chest shock and vibration isolation.

2. An anthropomorphic test dummy torso according to claim 1, in which:

the viscous damping means comprises a housing having a fluid filledchamber,

the housing being pivotally supported on the support platform forswinging movement about the first pivot axis,

a braking member within the-chamber immovable relative to the supportplatform,

and orifice means in the braking member metering flow of fluid from oneside of the braking member to the other side as the housing swings aboutthe first pivot axis as the torso undergoes fore and aft movement,

the second and third pivot means being stacked on top of the housing. I

3. An anthropomorphic test dummy torso according to claim 1, in which:

the first one of the pivot means comprises a pivot shaft fixedlysupported on the support platform,

and a housing for a viscous fluid used in the viscous damping means,

the housing being swingable in a fore and aft direction about the pivotshaft.

4. An anthropomorphic test dummy torso according to claim 3, in which:

the second pivot means is supported on the housing,

and the third pivot means comprises pivot studs journalled on the secondpivot means and a support plate frictionally coupled-to the pivot studs.

5. An anthropomorphic test dummy torso according to claim 4, in which:

the elastomeric isolation means is interposed between the support plateand a connecting member for connecting the spine mechanism to the dummytorso chest.

i 4 t i

1. An anthropomorphic test dummy torso having a spine mechanismextending from the pelvis upwardly to the chest, the spine mechanismcomprising a plurality of pivot means vertically stacked one above theother, the stacked pivot means being mounted on a support platform atthe pelvis, a first one of the pivot means providing a first pivot axislocated relative to the pelvis on a line corresponding generally to atorso waist line about which the torso is bendable in fore and aftdirections, the first one of the pivot means includes viscous dampingmeans to inhibit fore and aft whiplash movement of the torso about thewaist line pivot axis, a second one of the pivot means providing avertical spinal axis about which the torso is twistable above its waistline, and a third one of the pivot means providing an axis normal to thevertical spinal axis about which the torso is bendable sideways, andelastomeric isolation means above the stacked pivot means providingpelvis-to-chest shock and vibration isolation.
 2. An anthropomorphictest dummy torso accordIng to claim 1, in which: the viscous dampingmeans comprises a housing having a fluid filled chamber, the housingbeing pivotally supported on the support platform for swinging movementabout the first pivot axis, a braking member within the chamberimmovable relative to the support platform, and orifice means in thebraking member metering flow of fluid from one side of the brakingmember to the other side as the housing swings about the first pivotaxis as the torso undergoes fore and aft movement, the second and thirdpivot means being stacked on top of the housing.
 3. An anthropomorphictest dummy torso according to claim 1, in which: the first one of thepivot means comprises a pivot shaft fixedly supported on the supportplatform, and a housing for a viscous fluid used in the viscous dampingmeans, the housing being swingable in a fore and aft direction about thepivot shaft.
 4. An anthropomorphic test dummy torso according to claim3, in which: the second pivot means is supported on the housing, and thethird pivot means comprises pivot studs journalled on the second pivotmeans and a support plate frictionally coupled to the pivot studs.
 5. Ananthropomorphic test dummy torso according to claim 4, in which: theelastomeric isolation means is interposed between the support plate anda connecting member for connecting the spine mechanism to the dummytorso chest.